Steering chatter 08 Z1

[Dukejuno]

I’m getting a weird chatter coming from under the dash, like gears, I can feel it in the steering wheel also like the rudder is shaking or something. Only happens when I first nail it for a second when pulling someone then goes away.

The steering cable and wheel feels free and smooth, the rudder itself has barley any play when I wiggle it by hand on the trailer.

Calm lake, zero ballast, suckgate, 5 people, MP 340

Normal? Any thoughts?


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[ajhamzehpour]

You may have done this already, but check to see if your prop is gunked up with lake weeds. I'll throw mine in reverse hard for a second then back in forward to blow them out. Happens all the time on weedy lakes.

EDIT -- didn't realize you already inspected it out of the water.

[TigeFamily]

My boat does this as well, usually when I am pulling someone up with steering wheel slightly turned....I was not sure if normal or not but have since been on several boats that do it (not all do, have been on quite a few that do not), 17' Supra SA550 does it as well as several other newer boats I have been on.... then a couple ago I was on a brand new Supra SL surfing for the afternoon....and it also did it and Owner of that boat told me that the last couple boats he had also did it (he has had several Tige boats, last one being RZX3. My rudder also has zero play and I can turn my wheel with single finger.
So guessing its normal, but I do not technically know what is making the noise or why.

[Dukejuno]

Thanks TigeFamily, at least I know it’s somewhat common, was worried I broke something.


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[arohyans]

I’m getting a weird chatter coming from under the dash, like gears, I can feel it in the steering wheel also like the rudder is shaking or something. Only happens when I first nail it for a second when pulling someone then goes away.

The steering cable and wheel feels free and smooth, the rudder itself has barley any play when I wiggle it by hand on the trailer.

Calm lake, zero ballast, suckgate, 5 people, MP 340

Normal? Any thoughts?


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I just posted this exact issue before seeing your post here. I replaced my steering cable over winter and now also have the same noise you’re describing (13 Z3). Only happens when under heavy load (surfing with 2000lbs of ballast and 10 people) with the wheel cut left.

Honestly has me worried... grinding gears isn’t a pleasant sound . Hoping to figure out if this is normal or not?


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[TigeFamily]

I do not think it is "Grinding gears"....but hopefully someone with the technical knowledge will post something and enlighten us all.

[arohyans]

I do not think it is "Grinding gears"....but hopefully someone with the technical knowledge will post something and enlighten us all.

True.. poor choice of words, but we did manage to get a video of it: https://youtu.be/U_d4ocPvGBs ... Ignore the picture, but the phone was held under the dash. The cracking sound heard is coming from the rack and felt through the wheel.

I’m assuming this is what the OP is referring to as well...


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[TigeFamily]

Yep, that is the noise. I feel like its the feedback between the rudder and steering wheel...even with tight rudder (I cannot wiggle my rudder by hand from under boat feels very tight), the pressure of water wants it to be straight so its almost like its very small "pulses" in the rudder which is creating that sound feedback at steering wheel.

[Dukejuno]

True.. poor choice of words, but we did manage to get a video of it: https://youtu.be/U_d4ocPvGBs ... Ignore the picture, but the phone was held under the dash. The cracking sound heard is coming from the rack and felt through the wheel.

I’m assuming this is what the OP is referring to as well...


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Yes that’s it.

More info, just something I tried that I thought might work, didn’t stop the chatter but I figured I should report the results anyway.

I centered my wheel by running dead straight on the water, stopping without steering input, loosening the four bolts on the rack, lifting up the steering cable and rotating the steering wheel to center, well as center as it could be because I had to turn it a little to mesh the gears.

Didn’t stop the noise but now wheel straight = boat straight.


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[freeheel4life]

Yes that’s it.

More info, just something I tried that I thought might work, didn’t stop the chatter but I figured I should report the results anyway.

I centered my wheel by running dead straight on the water, stopping without steering input, loosening the four bolts on the rack, lifting up the steering cable and rotating the steering wheel to center, well as center as it could be because I had to turn it a little to mesh the gears.

Didn’t stop the noise but now wheel straight = boat straight.


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I've felt this sensation on lots of boat when they are weighted hard. I've always just chalked it up to air getting chopped by prop into the water then bubble collapsing around the rudder. Air collapsing in water has tons of pressure.
That's simply my best GUESS as I've only felt it under weight and when coming out of the hole. Try easing out of the hole for a couple of pulls instead of just burying the throttle and see if you notice any change.

[arohyans]

I've felt this sensation on lots of boat when they are weighted hard. I've always just chalked it up to air getting chopped by prop into the water then bubble collapsing around the rudder. Air collapsing in water has tons of pressure.
That's simply my best GUESS as I've only felt it under weight and when coming out of the hole. Try easing out of the hole for a couple of pulls instead of just burying the throttle and see if you notice any change.

I could buy that. Though I wonder how that pressure would get translated to the rack like that though? Really sounds like the teeth of the rack are slipping. Seems to only happen when the wheel is cut left or right and, as you mentioned, coming out of the hole. We were running about 2000# of ballast with 3 adults and 3 kids that day (maybe another 600-650#). Makes me wonder how folks are doing it with much more weight


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[freeheel4life]

I could buy that. Though I wonder how that pressure would get translated to the rack like that though? Really sounds like the teeth of the rack are slipping. Seems to only happen when the wheel is cut left or right and, as you mentioned, coming out of the hole. We were running about 2000# of ballast with 3 adults and 3 kids that day (maybe another 600-650#). Makes me wonder how folks are doing it with much more weight


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I guess my working theory would be leg bone connected to thighbone train of thought. Rudder and shank are connected to the tiller arm, which is connected to the steering cable, to the rack and column gear... I also dont think that the tolerance between the rack gears and the column gears is a crazy tight fit so that vibration could be gear lash as it shuddered back and fourth.

Like this
https://youtu.be/h056CTxbHV8

These are all just theories. I have never been able to fix what isn't broken. Hopefully something actually gives up the ghost so we can really find out why. Or better yet someone has a better answer.

[Dukejuno]

I’ve only had the boat out twice since I bought it, two trips multiple days each. This last weekend was the only one where it was warm enough to get in the water.

We pulled a bunch, wakeboarding and surfing, it chattered nearly every time. We have zero ballast, 2 adults and 3 kids. It still does it with that weight but less than Arohyans, little worried about adding ballast if it’s going to make it worse. But also kind of hoping whatever it is will break so I can fix it to make it stop and know what it is for sure.


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[freeheel4life]

I’ve only had the boat out twice since I bought it, two trips multiple days each. This last weekend was the only one where it was warm enough to get in the water.

We pulled a bunch, wakeboarding and surfing, it chattered nearly every time. We have zero ballast, 2 adults and 3 kids. It still does it with that weight but less than Arohyans, little worried about adding ballast if it’s going to make it worse. But also kind of hoping whatever it is will break so I can fix it to make it stop and know what it is for sure.


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If it happens please post. One of the main reasons I troll around here.

[Dukejuno]

I guess my working theory would be leg bone connected to thighbone train of thought. Rudder and shank are connected to the tiller arm, which is connected to the steering cable, to the rack and column gear... I also dont think that the tolerance between the rack gears and the column gears is a crazy tight fit so that vibration could be gear lash as it shuddered back and fourth.

Like this
https://youtu.be/h056CTxbHV8

These are all just theories. I have never been able to fix what isn't broken. Hopefully something actually gives up the ghost so we can really find out why. Or better yet someone has a better answer.

I think this is exactly what is going on, the prop starts to spin and the boat isn’t really moving much yet the individual waves of force from each prop blade are applied to the front of the rudder and effectively shake it back and forth like in your video and all the connection points in the system have a little play and it translates up to the wheel. As the water flow becomes faster and more consistent it stabilizes and no more shutter.

Not sure there is really a fix since there is no way to set the mesh between the gears or eliminate all the play all the way up. I bet replacing the rack will calm it down or stop it as the new rack gear will be less worn and mesh better, but I don’t think I’m willing to pay for that guess till it breaks, and the play will still be there in the rest of the system.

Maybe some sort of steering stabilizer on the tiller arm like a dirt bike has or a solid axle truck/Jeep has but on a smaller scale to stop the rudder from shaking before it starts. [emoji848]


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